Holidays are a fun time with family, friends, and delicious foods. For those with braces, though, sometimes holiday treats can feel very limited. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be! There are still plenty of holiday foods you CAN eat–especially if you make them yourself. Here are some common culprits for broken braces, and some great coordinating options for a delightfully braces-friendly holiday.
Peanut Brittle or Toffee: Toffee is a hard and sticky candy, AND it often has nut pieces in it. All of this means bad news for braces. Try your hand at making soft peanut butter fudge instead–with smooth peanut butter, of course!
Pretzels: Hard pretzels are a frequently seen party snack, but they can do damage to your braces. Instead, try making a batch of salty soft pretzels.
Candy Canes: The quintessential candy of winter, candy canes are unfortunately also bad for your braces. Crunching down on hard candy can break brackets, and the sticky residue from sucking on candy canes is hard to clean. To get your peppermint fix, try adding peppermint syrup to your white hot chocolate. Eating soft peppermint patties coated in chocolate is also a delicious experience.
Remember, stick with small portion sizes. Do not snack on sugary, starchy, or acidic foods throughout the day. This can increase instances of tooth decay. So have a treat or two, then stop. Clean your mouth thoroughly, then enjoy the rest of your holiday!
For more information, call Phan Orthodontics in San Jose, California, at 408.251.7901. Dr. Derick Phan and our team are happy to help!
